Daily Sitka Sentinel

Sitka Murder Trial Scheduled for Jan. 3

By SHANNON HAUGLAND and BRIELLE SCHAEFFER
Sentinel Staff Writers
    Reuben Yerkes entered pleas of not guilty to three murder charges at his arraignment Monday in Sitka Superior Court.
    Judge David George set the trial for next Jan. 3 through 17 in Sitka.

Reuben Yerkes, left, sits with Public Defender Jude Pate at the Sitka Courthouse during a hearing to set a date for his murder trial. (Sentinel Photo)

    Yerkes, 39, was indicted last week by a Juneau grand jury on one count of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree, related to the May 6 shooting death of his girlfriend, 28-year-old Ali Clayton.
    About 100 people, including Clayton’s family and friends, attended Monday’s court proceedings which lasted about 10 minutes. The judge reviewed the next court dates, including an omnibus hearing 10 a.m. July 17 and a calendar call set for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 19.
    Yerkes has been in custody since the early hours of May 6 when he walked into the police station and said he had shot and killed Clayton. He is being held on $500,000 bail.
    Both Yerkes and Clayton worked for the City and Borough of Sitka. Yerkes was a legal assistant and Clayton was in the finance department.
    The judge at Monday’s hearing explained Yerkes’ right to a speedy trial, which meant that without his consent for a delay, the trial would start within 120 days of the date charges were filed.
    Yerkes’ lawyer, Public Defender Jude Pate, said he would have to file for a continuance if the trial date was within the 120 days. He suggested a date in October or November but George said those dates would not work with his calendar.
    Assistant District Attorney Angie Kemp, participating by phone, agreed to the January date but said that might be too early given delays in the information needed for trial, such as DNA testing, toxicology, ballistics and the medical examiner’s report.
    George said with Yerkes’ agreement the trial date would be set beyond the 120-day clock.
    Yerkes said he understood.
    Pate said he expected the trial to run a full two weeks or more.
    At the end of the arraignment, George apologized for the shortage of seats in the courtroom. Even the jury box was used for seating and people were standing in the rear and along the walls.
    “We have the space that we have, and for those who were kind enough to help the family get their seats I want to thank you,” George said.
    Clayton’s friend Hannah Nelson handed out teal-colored ribbons at the hearing in her memory. They are a sign of solidarity and support, she said.
    “It’s one thing to see the faces for 10 minutes in the courtroom,” Nelson said, “but to see these around town is even better.”